1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a digital data copyright protecting system, and more specifically relates to a data conversion apparatus and method thereof in a copyright protecting system in which, when e.g. audio data recorded in such as compact disc is recorded by copying to a portable recording medium such as semiconductor memory, the audio data is converted to the same data format as that of network distribution data to be primarily recorded so that the data format can be standardized in the processing to thereby protect a copyright of non-ciphered audio data as well as ciphered data by collecting suitable royalties on the copyright. In the copyright protecting system, ciphered electronic audio data is distributed from an external distribution center via an internet or the like to be primarily recorded in a hard disc of such as a personal computer. Meanwhile, non-ciphered audio data read out of compact disc is also distributed by way of package distribution and the distributed audio data is once ciphered to have a data format same as that of the electronic audio data distributed via an internet so that the ciphered data is recorded in the same hard disc of the personal computer. Thereafter, in the subsequent recording process for copying, the recorded audio data is further ciphered to another standardized ciphering system to be secondarily recorded in the hard disc of the personal computer. Thus, the system enables collection of suitable royalties on the copyright for copying such as CD audio data.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In recent years, package medium such as compact disc (referred to as “CD” hereinafter) has formed the greater part of music data distribution. However, the CD medium hardly copes with pirated edition, namely, illegal copies. Moreover, an equipment, which can easily create CD-R (Compact Disc Recordable) based on the music CD, is on the market, and therefore anybody can make a copy from original edition, and therefore the copyright protection insufficient under the present conditions.
In addition, the format of copying contents of CD onto MD (Mini Disc) for listening thereto has been widely spread. At this time, the obtained copy deviates from the scope of personal amusement and the copy is frequently given to others. As a result, there arises a problem that this inflicts a loss on all rights reserved. In order to improve such a situation, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-34841 (1997) discloses a system which distributes CD storing ciphered software and distributes a deciphering key on-line in response to a request sent by a user while setting a charge for the distribution.
However, in this conventional system disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-34841 (1997), it is necessary to inquire to the host computer center about obtaining the deciphering key even within the range of personal amusement and to pay on the charge. Therefore, this possibly inflicts a loss on a user. Moreover, since an equipment under usage by the user can be usually used for only CD recorded with non-ciphered data, the user should additionally purchase a reproducing equipment for ciphered CD data, and this inflicts a great loss on the user.